Webbing fastener retainer



May 19, 1931. H. A. MAILLOUX wEBING FASTENER RETAINER Filed March 22. 1930 Patented May 19, 1931 UNITED STATES HARVEY A. MAILLOUX, 0F HAVERHILL, MASSACHUSETTS WEBBING FASTENER RETAINER Application filed March 22, 1930.

This invention relates to certain improve-` ments in upholstered furniture of the type in which a series of spring Supporting strips of webbing are secured by tacks or nails to the underside of a wooden upholstery frame.

In constructions of this character probably their greatest weakness has been due to the fact that the webbing was liable to become detached from the frame, thereby permittingl the helical springs which are seated thereon to fall, this being in part due to the fact that the downward pressure on the webbing tends to pull out the tacks from the frame, and, in case the wood shrinks, as it frequently does, the tacks are likely to become loosened in the holes which they form when driven into the wood of the frame, so that they readily fall out, or are likely to be pulled out by the action of the webbing thereon.

This difficulty has been largely avoided by providing a support on the inner side of the frame which exerts an upward pull on the webbing at the points where it is drawn from the frame, so that the downward pull on the heads of the tacks which secure the webbing is prevented and all strain thereon is converted to a pull on the shanks thereof, at right angles thereto. However, t-o produce this effect the support inust be adjusted to produce a strong 11p-pull on the webbing at the inner edge of the frame, and there is always a liability that the workman will not adjust the support in a manner to produce an effective up pull on the webbing. Also, even if properly adjusted, such supports are liable not to be wholly effective in preventing the tacks from falling out, in case the wood shrinks to such an extent that they become loose in their sockets, and where these supports are made of small wire, as they frequently are, there is also great liability that they will cut the webbing.

The objects of my invention are to provide a device which may be readily applied to each strip of webbing, in a construction such as above indicated, which will make unnecessary an adjustment which will cause a substantial up-pull on the webbing at the inner edge of the frame, and will, at the same time, obviate all possibility that the webbing se- Scrial No. 437,999.

curing tacks will fall from the Wood, in case it shrinks, or that the webbing will be out.

I accomplish these objects by providing a form of lever device which is so arranged that the downward pressure on the webbing, which normally causes it to sag to some extent, will act on one portion of said lever device, so that another portion thereof will tend to force the tacks into the frame, or prevent displacement thereof.

For a more complete disclosure of the invention, reference is made to the following specification, in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a section of an upholstery frame provided with an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view at line 2-2 of Fig. l.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view at line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the retaining plate which I employ.

As the construction with which the device embodying the invention is employed is well known, only the parts directly associated therewith are indicated.

In the drawings an ordinary wooden furniture frame a is indicated, to the normally underside of which strips of spring-supporting webbing I) are attached by nails or tacks c, which are driven through a doubled over end portion of each webbing strip into the under side of the frame in the usual manner.

According to my invention I provide for each webbing strip, at its point of attachment with the frame, a stiff wire hanger d, which is bent in U-form to provide an intermediate portion, which is of a length corresponding to the width of the strips and two supporting side portions, the end portions of which are bent to form eyes through which tacks may be driven to attach the same to frame.

I also provide an approximately flat retaining plate c of rigid sheet metal, which is of a length corresponding to the distance between the side portions of the hanger d, or the length of the intermediate portion thereof, and is of a width approximately twice, or somewhat less than twice the thickness of the frame a and which is adapted to be pivotally supported adjacent its middle longitudinal line on the intermediate portion of the hanger, said plate being' preferably provided with a pair of lugs or flanges at each end sufficiently spaced to provide a notch f/ therebetween of slightly greater width than the width or diameter of the wire of which the hanger formed, so that said plate may be pivotally mounted on said intermediate portion of the hanger, in which position the notches g will receive the wire and the plate will be held against displacement thereon.

In applying the devices to a frame to which the webbing has been attached, the plate c is placed in position on the hanger, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and the side portions of the latter are passed upward at each side edge of the webbing strip, so that they lie flat against the inner side of the frame, and the plate c is pressed firmly against the under side of the strip, in which position the hanger is secured by driving a tack or nail L through each of the hanger into the frame, as shown.

IVhen held in this position, approximately one half of the plate c will be engaged with the doubled back portion of the strip beneath the frame, in which position it will also engage the heads of the tacks c, which secure the strip to the frame, while the other half of the plate will engage the under side of the strip adjacent the inner side of the frame, the doubled back portion of the strip being preferably extended to the inner edge of the plate c, as shown in Fig. 2, to provide a uniform bearing surface therefor.

lith the device in this position when downward pressure is applied to the strip through medium of the coil springs 2', which will be mounted thereon, the tendency will be to cause the strip to sag, or be drawn down at a slight inclination from its point of attachment to the frame, with the result that additional pressure will be applied in a downward direction to the portion of the plate e, which extends inward from the hanger on which it is pivotally mounted, with the result that the opposite, or outer portion of the plate c will be forced upwardly to a corresponding extent and will be held firmly against the heads of the tacks c, the greater the force with which the inner portion is pressed downwardly the greater will be the force with which the other portion thereof is pressed upwardly.

As a result the strip securing fasteners will be securely held in position to resist a transverse, or an obliquely downward pull thereon, even though the wood may shrinl to such an extent that they would otherwise fall therefrom of their own weight.

It will be understood that the particular formation of the plate c shown for retaining the plate in the middle position on the hanger bar is not important, as any means which will insure the retention of the plate in this position may be employed, although the means shown is preferable to any of which I am at present aware.

The arrangement shown permits the hanger and plate to be readily asembled and they may be readily secured in position, as it is not essential to the invention, or in fact desirable to set the hanger so high that the strip will be actually drawn upwardly about the inner bottom edge of the frame.

I claim l. In an upholstery construction of the character described, a frame, a seat-supporting' hing strip extending crosswise of the frzfune and engaged with the normally under side thereof, fasteners extending upwardly through tbe strip and embedded in the frame to secure the strip thereto, a fastener retainer conijllrising a rigid plate having an outer portion thereof engaged with the under side of the strip and the lower ends of the fasteners therein directly beneath the frame, and an inner portion thereof engaged with the under side of the strip adjacent and within the frame, and a pivotal support connected to the frame. and engaged with the under side of said plate between the said portions thereof, to hold the same in said positions of engagement and cause said outer portion to be forced upwardly said inner portion is forced downwardly.

2. In an upholstery construction of the character described, a frame, a seat-supporting.: webbing,y strip extending crosswise of the frame and engaged with the normally under side thereof, headed fasteners extending upwardly through the strip and driven into the frame, to connect the strip thereto, a stiff metal plate having one portion thereof engaged with the strip portion directly beneath the frame and another portion thereof enged with the adjacent strip portion Within the frame, and a hanger device connected to the frame and engaged with the under side of the plate within and adjacent the inner side of the frame, to provide a pivotal support for said plate so arranged that depression of the strip within the frame will tend to press upwardly the plate portion directly beneath the frame.

3. In an upholstery construction of the character described, a frame, a seat-supporting webbing strip extending crosswise of the frame and engaged with the normally under side thereof` headed fasteners eXtending upwardly through the strip and driven into the frame, to connect the strip thereto, a stiff metal plate having one portion thereof engaged with the strip portion directly beneath the frame and another portion thereof engaged with the adjacent strip portion Within the frame, said plate being extended for approximately the Width of the strip, and a U-form hanger device havingr its side portions connected to the frame at the inner side thereof and extending downwardly at the opposite edges of the strip and having its intermediate portion engaged with the under side of said plate and providing a pivotal support therefor between the said portions thereof.

4. In an upholstery construction of the character described, a frame, a seat-supporting webbing strip extendingr crosswise of the frame and engaged with the normally under side thereof, headed fasteners extending upwardly through the strip and driven into the frame, to Connect the strip thereto, a stiff metal plate having one portion thereof engaged with the strip portion directly beneath the frame and another portion thereof engaged with the adjacent strip portion Within the frame, a U-forrn hanger device having its side portions Connected to the frame at the inner side thereof, and having its intermediate portion engaged with the under side of said plate directly beneath the inner side of the frame, and Ineans on said plate to hold the same against lateral displacement on said intermediate hanger portieri and perinit the plate to tilt thereon.

ln testimony whereof, I have signed lny naine to this s ecification.

I ARVEY A. MAILLOUIQ 

